We exist to facilitate business learning and professional practice. Who can primarily benefit from our site.

• Anyone who wants to receive a business education outside of traditional higher-education channels.
• Anyone who needs guidance on how to pursue a career in business or entrepreneurship.
• Anyone seeking community among other business learners and professionals.
• Those who study or practice business and want to stay abreast of a latest and greatest business books.
• Business owners and other professionals who need access to templates and guides.
• Employers who want a means of assessing employee or prospective employee proficiency in the subject-matter taught in core business courses.

The Academy is our business learning community, offering a comprehensive range of career, learning, and professional resources. These resources are available exclusively to members, providing a multi-faceted and enriched learning experience.

In addition to the Academy, we also offer several publicly accessible resources (which are open to non-members), including SearchBase AI, Headlines, and our Media content. These open resources ensure that everyone can benefit from timely business insights and tools, while our Academy members enjoy a more targeted, comprehensive, and in-depth learning journey.

There are 3 levels of member benefit: Observer, Learner, Professional.

• Observer-level Membership is our free level of membership. It is best for individuals who simply want to join a community for networking and career advancement.
• Learner-level Membership is most appropriate for individuals who wish to expand their business knowledge. It’s also appropriate for those who are getting starting in their business careers and want additional insights into careers and professional development.
• Professional-level Membership is best for industry professionals and entrepreneurs who need access to practice guides & templates. It also provides employers with the opportunity to post on our job board and arrange for proficiency assessments for employees or prospective employees.

Becoming a member is easy. Simply visit TheBusinessProfessor.com. Click on the “Academy” tab.

Click on the dropdown tab named “Memberships” below the “Academy” tab.

Now, choose between Observer, Learner, and Professional-level membership. Once you’ve chose, click on the “join” button below the displayed membership level.

You can then make payment (if applicable). Once this step is complete, you will send a registration confirmation email. Click on the link in this email to establish your login password.

Once this is complete, you are registered and will be able to access the member benefits available at your level of membership.

First, we recommend that you click on the “Account/Log-In” tab at Academy.TheBusinessProfessor.com. From there, you will be able to build your professional profile.

When you click the “join” button below your chosen level of membership, you will be re-directed to our payment screen. Payments can be made through debit or credit card. Payments are processed via Stripe.

Note: All member payment information is handled by Stripe. No member financial information is stored on our servers.

The first step is to send us an email introducing yourself and submitting a proposal to be a mentor.

From there, we will evaluate your message and get back to you.

You can modify or cancel your account from within your site Account Profile. If you cancel your account prior to the expiration of the payment period, you will retain access to the site until the end of the payment period.

No refunds are issued for cancelled accounts.

Yes. Other members can see your account name and basic profile.

Yes. You can upgrade or downgrade your membership within the “Account” tab.

The amount you have paid for your current membership will be prorated based on what you’ve paid already and how long you have had that membership. So, the sooner you upgrade or downgrade, the more you’ll be credited.

For example, if a member has already paid for a month of their membership, and halfway through the month decides to upgrade. Our system automatically figures out and charges the prorated amount the member will need to pay for the rest of the month at the new level.

So, prorations are calculated for subscriptions with different periods (monthly to annually).

Proration can also be calculated between different payment methods. For example, say a member first subscribed via PayPal. But they want to upgrade via Stripe. Not a problem.

Yes. The member profile allows you to create a social profile and connect and message with other members. The user profile is laid out very similarly to other popular social media platforms, such as Facebook or LinkedIn.

Yes. You can see your member information; forums on which you have participated; notifications of activity related to you; direct messages with others; friends or connections; and your group membership.

Yes. Other members can see your account name and basic profile.

You can access your profile information from the “account” tab. From there, click the “profile” tab. Within the profile tab, click the tab reading “edit profile”.

You create a profile when you join as a member. You can further develop this profile (as well as control your membership subscription) within the Account tab.

Groups are gatherings of members, posts, and any other user-generated content form the group members. In summary, it allows you create a micro-community within the community. This is useful for maintaining privacy in communications and postings between group members.

Any member can create a group. When a member creates a group, this person automatically becomes the group administrator.

Group administrators can also approve requests to join the private group, invite friends to congregate within a hidden group, establish communications among members, etc.

The main information is your name and location. You can add a profile picture and a background image. Lastly, you can include any information you wish in your profile bio.

The member profile is you dashboard for interacting in the community. It allows you to display your member attributes (name, professional interest, etc.). It’s your starting point for communicating with other members, receiving notifications, forming groups, tracking your forum activity, etc.

The member activity tab allows you to see the recent activity of member connections. The activities are visible from the member profile.

The notification tab provides notifications about connection requests, messages, group invitations, forum replies, etc. The notifications are visible from the member profile.

We are a community of learners. We hope that you are willing to identify yourself and contribute to the community. Not to mention, networking is an important part of business success. Creating a profile in our online community is a great place to start.

The SearchBase AI is our business encyclopedia. Search any business topic and receive a curated explanation within seconds. The answer is derived from our comprehensive database of business articles – including hundreds of thousands of concepts and explanations.

Our open resources (available to non-members) include:

• SearchBase AI
• Media Series
• Headlines

Our Media Series is a dynamic and diverse collection of video content designed to educate, inspire, and engage our business learning community. The series includes:

• “The Business Professor Show”: A flagship video series where our PhD professors break down essential business concepts, strategies, and trends in an accessible, engaging format. Each episode dives into real-world case studies and practical applications to provide a comprehensive understanding of the business world.
• Short-Form Video Book Summaries: For those looking to quickly absorb key insights from top business books, our short-form video summaries offer concise overviews of important texts in leadership, strategy, marketing, and more, making it easy to stay informed without the time commitment of reading the entire book.
• Video Excerpts from “Career TV”: Highlighting the best moments from our “Career TV” series, these video excerpts provide actionable career advice, tips for job seekers, and insights from industry leaders on how to navigate and succeed in today’s competitive job market.
• Video Excerpts from Live “Office Hours” Livestream: Featuring discussions from our live “Office Hours” sessions, these videos showcase experts answering community questions, providing career guidance, business advice, and insights into specific fields of interest.
• Community Resource Explanations: We offer a series of videos dedicated to explaining the valuable resources available within our community, such as networking tools, knowledge-sharing platforms, and how to effectively use these tools to advance both personal learning and professional development.

Our media series serves as a one-stop hub for learners at all stages, combining expert insights with practical tools to help members achieve their business and career goals.

The Career TV series features a curated collection of interviews with business founders and industry professionals, offering an in-depth exploration of their career journeys.

Gaining insight into various jobs, careers, and industries—and understanding the skills and strategies required for success in these fields—is a vital component of a comprehensive business education.

Each episode delves into both personal and professional experiences, with interviewees sharing unique perspectives and actionable advice for individuals aspiring to follow similar career paths. Their insights provide valuable guidance for navigating the complexities of professional growth and achievement.

Many of the Career TV interviewees are also mentors in our Community.

Our Career Course is a comprehensive, online course designed to guide individuals through the complexities of business careers and education while offering practical strategies to achieve their professional aspirations.

It provides deep insights into various business careers and career paths, equipping learners with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about their future.

And, the course is continuing to grow and evolve. Just because you’ve taken it once, doesn’t mean that you won’t take it again in the future.

The curriculum covers essential topics such as business education, networking strategies, job application processes, promotions, and professional etiquette, ensuring that students are well-prepared to navigate each stage of their career journey.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to advance, our Career Course offers the tools and insights to help you pursue your goals with confidence.

The Academy is our business learning community, offering a comprehensive range of career, learning, and professional resources. These resources are available exclusively to members, providing a multi-faceted and enriched learning experience.

In addition to the Academy, we also offer several publicly accessible resources (which are open to non-members), including SearchBase AI, Headlines, and our Media content. These open resources ensure that everyone can benefit from timely business insights and tools, while our Academy members enjoy a more targeted, comprehensive, and in-depth learning journey.

Our Professors and Mentors are experts in their areas of business practice. They are educators and professional practitioners.

The Learner-level and Professional-level memberships provide access to mentoring sessions with these professionals at affordable, hourly rates.

You can schedule and pay for mentorship meetings and meet via web-conference all within our platform.

Our Guides and Templates material includes business guides and legal templates used in all forms of business practice. The downloadable guides and templates include explanations of how to use the documents and the various provisions of the templates. The effect is that you now have access to a vast (and growing) library of professional resources to use in building, operating, and growing your business.

Important

As a member, you have a restricted license to use a litany of business and legal documents for personal and business use. The limitation is that you cannot use the document or templates to provide professional services to others. For example, if you are an attorney or business planner, you cannot use our guides and templates as a deliverable or part of your work product for clients. Use in this manner will be treated as an intellectual property rights infringement.

The Discussion Forums provide a collaborative space where members can post business-related questions and engage with others by offering insights, advice, and answers.

These forums foster peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing, creating a dynamic and supportive community.

In addition to member participation, our staff of business professors and experienced mentors regularly contribute their expert input, ensuring that discussions are guided by professional advice and grounded in real-world business knowledge.

Whether you’re seeking answers to specific questions or looking to share your expertise, the Discussion Forums are a valuable resource for continuous learning and growth.

The Business Courses are a collection of college-level courses – the same courses offered in the core curriculum of most business schools. The courses are designed to offer the same learning material and method of teaching that you would encounter as a student in a college or university business school.

Note: We do not currently hold accreditation or offer degrees. We are a learning community – not a traditional college.

Our value offerings vary based upon the level of membership: Observer, Learner, Professional.

Our open resources (available to non-members) include:

• SearchBase AI
• Media Series
• Headlines

Observer-level Membership

• All Open benefits
• Career Course
• Apply to Job Board
• Community Forum
• Professional Profile
• Access to Office Hours

Learner-level Membership

• All Observer-level member benefits
• Business School Courses
• Book Reports
• Career TV Series
• Access to Mentors
• Office Hours (Livestream)

Startup-level Membership

• All Observer-level member benefits
• Guides & Templates

Ultimate-level Membership

• All startup-level member benefits
• Proficiency Assessments
• Posting on our Job Board

Office Hours is our weekly, live stream hosted by Professor J. Mance Gordon. The livestream is available to both learner-level and professional-level members.

This live stream offers our members direct access to expert guidance on a wide range of business education and practice topics.

This interactive session addresses pre-submitted topics and live questions proposed by members. During the livestream, members can actively participate by posting questions in the chat forum, which we address in real time whenever possible.

For those unable to attend live, each session is recorded and made available for later viewing.

We provide a carefully curated list of the latest headlines from current business-related news articles and events from around the globe, offering our members and the public easy access to relevant, timely information. This feature allows users to stay informed on critical business trends, industry shifts, and economic developments.

Each headline links directly to the original article at the source publisher, ensuring that readers can dive deeper into the full story with ease. By offering these curated headlines, we aim to help our community remain up-to-date with the latest happenings in the global business landscape.

Our book reports are similar to many book summaries – but, with a little extra.

To supplement the formal educational experience offered in the Business Courses, we teach the fundamental learning points offered in many popular business-related books.

We do not simply summarize what the books offer; rather, we offer our insights into the learning points offered therein.

We also provide an outline of the primary learning points discussed in the book report.

Hopefully, our analysis of this content will supplement your knowledge and provide sufficient  information for you to make the decision of whether to purchase and read the respective book.

Our Proficiency Assessment Program allows employers to pay for an assessment of the subject-matter knowledge of employees.

This unique program allows members to receive personalized, expert-level evaluations from PhD-qualified professors, who assess their proficiency based on the core concepts, theories, and practices taught in our comprehensive, business courses.

Through this program, members can choose to be assessed in a wide range of business disciplines, including finance, marketing, management, entrepreneurship, economics, and more.

Each assessment is carefully crafted by our professors to measure the student’s depth of understanding, analytical abilities, and practical application of the subject matter. The assessment process may include case study analysis, theoretical examinations, and problem-solving exercises tailored to the field of study.

Note: We are introducing assessments for specialty (industry-specific) courses by industry professionals. We work with these professionals on how to conduct throughly assessments that meet with key learning objectives.

The Business Courses are a collection of college-level courses – the same courses offered in the core curriculum of most business schools. The courses are designed to offer the same learning material and method of teaching that you would encounter as a student in a college or university business school.

Note: We do not currently hold accreditation or offer degrees. We are a learning community – not a traditional college.

Our proficiency assessments cover the subject-matter, material taught in our Business Courses.

• Note: We are introducing industry-specific courses and assessments that cover topics rarely taught in traditional business schools.

Each assessment is subject-matter specific. You can prepare for the assessment by completing and continually reviewing the material in the subject-matter-specific, business courses.

Many of our courses provide topic-based and discussion questions to test understanding of the material. We are working to introduce intra-course quizzes on each topic.

Note: Quizzes are not currently available in all courses.

Our business courses are meticulously organized to offer a flexible and comprehensive learning experience, mirroring the curriculum taught in leading business schools.

Each course is designed by PhD professors (or industry experts) who are experts in their respective fields, ensuring that students receive the highest quality education.

Course Organization:

1. Short-Form Video and Audio Lectures:
   Each course is built around engaging short-form video and audio lectures delivered by PhD professors (or industry professionals). These concise, easily digestible lectures are designed to convey complex business concepts in a clear and accessible way, allowing students to absorb information quickly and effectively.
2. Chapters and Learning Topics:
   Courses are divided into chapters, with each chapter focusing on a core business area or concept. Within each chapter, individual learning topics are explored in depth. This organization allows students to progress through the material at their own pace while maintaining a clear and logical learning path.
3. Multiple Learning Formats:
   For each learning topic, students will find multiple short-form explanatory videos that break down key ideas into bite-sized segments. In addition, written explanations accompany these videos to reinforce understanding, providing a balanced mix of visual, auditory, and textual learning tools.
4. Comprehensive Coverage:
   The curriculum and content of our courses align with what is taught in traditional business school programs, ensuring that students receive a robust and well-rounded business education. Whether it’s finance, marketing, strategy, or entrepreneurship, each topic is presented with the depth and rigor found in top-tier academic programs.

This structure is designed to maximize flexibility, enabling students to engage with the content in a way that fits their schedule while still gaining the knowledge needed to excel in their business studies and careers.

We are working to implement certificates from completion of individual courses. Certificates are not currently available.

No. We are are learning community. We are not a degree-granting program. We do not currently have a relationship with any college or university related to grant of a degree.

We offer proficiency assessment for employers to judge the subject-matter knowledge of employees or applicants.

Our professors are members of the community. Thus, you can connect with them and message them directly. Also, most of our professors take part in forum discussions.

Note: Because of the large number of members, it is difficult for our professors to connect with all students and engage in personal conversations.

Yes.

All of the professors teaching in our Academy are professors in business schools throughout the United States. Each one holds AACSB accreditation (the highest business accreditation in the world) at their institutions. Every professor holds a terminal degree (PhD, JD, or DBA) in their respective fields and regularly publish academic research in scholarly journals. Uniquely, all of our professors are also professional practitioners in their field of teaching.

Note: We are expanding to offer courses taught be professional instructors who are not career, academic professionals. These courses are taught be industry experts who have tons of real-world experience to deliver in the courses.

Generally, yes.

The specific curricula taught in a business school will depend upon the school and the course professor. Nonetheless, the subject matter taught varies very little from topics taught in nearly all similar business school courses. If anything, our courses tend to be more comprehensive than those taught in a most schools.

You may find that multiple business school courses are combined into one of our courses. For example, Financial and Managerial Accounting are taught in one course. Likewise, microeconomics and macroeconomics are taught together.

Yes.

Our proficiency assessments are based on the subject-matter taught in our business courses. This is the same subject matter covered in business courses throughout US business schools.

Note: We are introducing industry-specific courses taught by industry professionals. These courses are often very targeted and are not commonly found in traditional business schools. Likewise, we will offer assessments on these courses as well.

Find out more about our proficiency assessments.

The Course is primarily taught by Professor J. Mance Gordon. Professor Gordon has taught career development courses in business schools for more than a decade. He developed this course to provide students with information about careers that is not taught in the traditional classroom setting.

As we grow the career course, we are looking for material and instructor lectures to supplement the course material.

Our Career Course is a comprehensive, online course designed to guide individuals through the complexities of business careers and education while offering practical strategies to achieve their professional aspirations.

It provides deep insights into various business careers and career paths, equipping learners with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about their future.

And, the course is continuing to grow and evolve. Just because you’ve taken it once, doesn’t mean that you won’t take it again in the future.

The curriculum covers essential topics such as business education, networking strategies, job application processes, promotions, and professional etiquette, ensuring that students are well-prepared to navigate each stage of their career journey.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to advance, our Career Course offers the tools and insights to help you pursue your goals with confidence.

Yes. The Career Course is free to all members. It is specifically grouped into all of our memberships, particularly our free, Observer-level membership.

No. When you begin a course, the entire curriculum is presented in independent sections. You can jump to any section of the course to begin learning.

Note: Some of the content builds upon prior content. As such, starting at the beginning may be the best option.

Yes and No.

Like all of our courses, the video instruction is not available for download. You can only access the videos through the modules in which they are embedded.

Members can, however, download or copy the written material for personal use.

Our book reports are similar to many book summaries – but, with a little extra.

To supplement the formal educational experience offered in the Business Courses, we teach the fundamental learning points offered in many popular business-related books.

We do not simply summarize what the books offer; rather, we offer our insights into the learning points offered therein.

We also provide an outline of the primary learning points discussed in the book report.

Hopefully, our analysis of this content will supplement your knowledge and provide sufficient  information for you to make the decision of whether to purchase and read the respective book.

Generally, yes.

We recommend reading the text in advance of delving into our report. Our objective is to educate the world. The books that we have chosen to analyze and teach are extremely valuable sources of information. There is no way that we could cover all of the value delivered by the text in our analyses. If you read the text in advance, our report serves to reinforce the learning. Also, it can serve as a refresher if it has been a while since you read the book.

As such, we highly recommend that you read the book prior to undertaking our report.

Nope – no limits.

Members with access can read, watch, or listen to as many book reports as they desire during any timeframe. We are constantly adding new reports. Make certain to check our emails and newsletter for new book reports and updates.

No – we don’t sell these texts.

We have affiliate links to Amazon.com where you can purchase the text. We do get a small affiliate commission when you purchase a text after clicking on the link that we provide. Sometimes, we are able to obtain a discount on purchase for our members.

In summary, no.

We read and analyze the books for important learning points. We particularly focus on learning points that are commonly-noted or present throughout the subject-matter literature and research. We teach these learning points in an audio-based lecture. An we provide a general outline of the primary learning points discussed in the audio recording.

In summary, we do not provide an exact summary or recitation of the book’s material.

Absolutely. We love to receive requests or recommendations for book to cover in our reports. Feel free to contact us.

No. All reports must be accessed through our website or app. They cannot be downloaded for off-line viewing or listening.

We deliver all of our book summaries via audio and written format. We are working to also add some video summaries.

Yes.

We continually create and add book reports as we encounter worthy additions to the list. Generally, this means adding at least one new book report to our library each week. Though, we often add more than 1 per week.

Our latest reports are announced via our newsletter and emails to members.

Some of the questions we address with industry professionals include:

• Personal background
• What is your job title?
• What do you do on a daily basis?
• How did you get to this place in your career?
  • Education
  • Work experience
  • Skills
  • Certifications
• What does a career path or progression look like?
• What advice to you have for someone pursing this career?

When interviewing entrepreneurs, we focus on their lives in building or growing their business.

Communication

We communicate directly with prospective interviewees via email to arrange for episode production.

Scheduling: Date and Time

The date and time changes with every interview. We work with interviewees to identify a day and time that is most convenient for them.

Location

We conduct interviews in two formats:

• In-Person: You show up to our studio or we come to your place of business for recording. This is worked out directly via email/phone prior to the date of interview.
• Video conference: If the interview is conducted via video-conference, we work with the you to schedule a day and time.

Preparation

Prior to the interview, we provide a general list of questions that we hope to discuss during the interview. The idea, however, is to allow the conversation to flow naturally. We edit the interview to have a professional and succinct presentation.

If conducted via video-conference, we provide an instruction sheet regarding the video-conference application, microphone, and headset setup. (Note: The interviewee is responsible for securing a computer, microphone, and headset prior to undertaking the recording).

Duration

The length of interviews vary greatly. Career professional interviews generally last less than 1 hour. Interviews with entrepreneurs generally last 2+ hours.

Editing

Interviews go through extensive audio and video editing prior to publication.

Publishing

The interview is generally published within 14 days of completion of the interview.

The Career TV series features a curated collection of interviews with business founders and industry professionals, offering an in-depth exploration of their career journeys.

Gaining insight into various jobs, careers, and industries—and understanding the skills and strategies required for success in these fields—is a vital component of a comprehensive business education.

Each episode delves into both personal and professional experiences, with interviewees sharing unique perspectives and actionable advice for individuals aspiring to follow similar career paths. Their insights provide valuable guidance for navigating the complexities of professional growth and achievement.

Many of the Career TV interviewees are also mentors in our Community.

Our industry interview list continues to grow. Business takes place in all industries.  As such, we seek professionals to interview in every conceivable industry.

Our focus, however, is to first interview those who either own their own business, founded a business, or work as a business professional within a larger organization.

If you want to be interviewed for our Career TV series and/or become a Mentor in our Community, reach out to use at admin@thebusinessprofessor.com.

The Business Professor, LLC obtains complete ownership and control over the CareerTV episode recording. As part of the interview process, the interviewee is required to sign a release agreement for use of the recording within the Academy on TheBusinessProfessor.com platform.

If you have an interest in being interviewed for the CareerTV series, please send an email to admin@thebusinessprofessor.com. Tell us about your background and why you would like to be interviewed and featured on the platform.

In the subject line, write – Interview on TheBusinessProfessor – [Your Name].

In our interviews with corporate professionals, we look for respected professionals who are willing to talk about their industry, career path, and what it takes to arrive at a similar place.

For a founder/business-owner interviews, we look for successful and accomplished business owners in a variety of industries. Our primary objective is to cover a large number of industries in which to start a business.

We give preference to individuals who have an interest in actively participating in our community and serving as a mentor.

No. Participating in a CareerTV interview is uncompensated.

However, all interviewees have the opportunity to serve as compensated mentors in our Academy.

Our guides and templates are available to Startup and Ultimate-level members.

Important

As a Startup-level member, you have a restricted license to use a litany of business and legal documents for personal and business use. The limitation is that you cannot use the document or templates to provide professional services to others. For example, if you are an attorney or business planner, you cannot use our guides and templates as a deliverable or part of your work product for clients. Use in this manner will be treated as an intellectual property rights infringement.

Templates

Our templates are used as models or starting points for creating a personalized document to meet your business or legal needs.

The templates are grouped by their function. And, there may be multiple types of template in any template group.

You can see the current list of our guides and templates on the Guides and Templates page.

Guides

Our guides are explanations of our templates. They provide information about the uses for the template, the common provisions, legal considerations, and the positive and negative aspects about the template.

Our Guides and Templates material includes business guides and legal templates used in all forms of business practice. The downloadable guides and templates include explanations of how to use the documents and the various provisions of the templates. The effect is that you now have access to a vast (and growing) library of professional resources to use in building, operating, and growing your business.

Important

As a member, you have a restricted license to use a litany of business and legal documents for personal and business use. The limitation is that you cannot use the document or templates to provide professional services to others. For example, if you are an attorney or business planner, you cannot use our guides and templates as a deliverable or part of your work product for clients. Use in this manner will be treated as an intellectual property rights infringement.

You access the guides and templates on a page that provides an explanation of what the specific document does, why you need it, a recommended way to use it, and common provisions (for templates only).

Important

As a member, you have a restricted license to use a litany of business and legal documents for personal and business use. The limitation is that you cannot use the document or templates to provide professional services to others. For example, if you are an attorney or business planner, you cannot use our guides and templates as a deliverable or part of your work product for clients. Use in this manner will be treated as an intellectual property rights infringement.

No. We do not directly sell guides or templates. We are a learning community. Maintaining a Startup-level membership in our community entitles you to a limited license in using our guides and templates.

Important

As a member, you have a restricted license to use a litany of business and legal documents for personal and business use. The limitation is that you cannot use the document or templates to provide professional services to others. For example, if you are an attorney or business planner, you cannot use our guides and templates as a deliverable or part of your work product for clients. Use in this manner will be treated as an intellectual property rights infringement.

No. We do our best to create useful and accurate business resources. We do not, however, represent or warranty that any of our documents (guides or templates) are accurate. You use all of our website resources with the understanding that you are doing so at your own risk, and we specifically disclaim any liability for damages suffered as a result of using our resources.

Yes. We are constantly updating and adding new guides and templates to our library. Generally, we add at least one new guide or template each week.

If you have need for a specific template, please send us an email (admin@thebusinessprofessor.com) to let us know. If possible, we will work to create that template in the subsequent weeks.

Individuals and businesses may employ our guides and templates in their personal and business ventures. We do not allow professional service providers to use are templates to provide services to clients. The exception is that some of our mentors have purchased a license to employ our guides and templates in providing professional services to members of our platform.

Important

As a member, you have a restricted license to use a litany of business and legal documents for personal and business use. The limitation is that you cannot use the document or templates to provide professional services to others. For example, if you are an attorney or business planner, you cannot use our guides and templates as a deliverable or part of your work product for clients. Use in this manner will be treated as an intellectual property rights infringement.

Yes. We are constantly creating new guides and templates with explanations. If you have need for a specific type of guide or template, let us know. We will do our best to create the guide or template in the following weeks.

We do not create guides or templates on demand. Any request for a specific template is treated as a suggestion for a template to be included on the platform.

As a platform, we do not directly assist our members in using our guides and templates. However, we have professional mentors who may offer help in developing plans that implement our guides. Other mentors may provide guidance in using our templates for business intended business or legal objectives.

To receive assistance from our mentors, you must contact them directly with the request for services.

Our members, professors, mentors, and many other professionals and academics who do not teach in our community, regularly post and answer questions within the discussion forums.

The forum questions can be accessed by all members. The questions are not searchable from non-members or outside of the TheBusinessProfessor.com platform.

All members of the Academy can post and answer topics in the forum. Only the creator and administrators can edit or delete topic posts.

We are community based upon support in learning and professional development. We do not allow posts or topics with the following elements:

• non-business-focused content
• attempts to cheat on school work (e.g., posting examination questions)
• solicitations (sales efforts)
• advertisements (promotions)
• discriminatory content
• harassing or obscene content, or
• politically-focused content.

All topics and replies are subject to review by an administrator prior to publishing. Any content that the administrator deems inconsistent with these rules will be blocked and deleted.

Note: Violation of these rules may result in permanent cancellation of memberships.

The Discussion Forums provide a collaborative space where members can post business-related questions and engage with others by offering insights, advice, and answers.

These forums foster peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing, creating a dynamic and supportive community.

In addition to member participation, our staff of business professors and experienced mentors regularly contribute their expert input, ensuring that discussions are guided by professional advice and grounded in real-world business knowledge.

Whether you’re seeking answers to specific questions or looking to share your expertise, the Discussion Forums are a valuable resource for continuous learning and growth.

No. There is no limit to the number of topics that you can post or replies. However, posts that violate any of the rules (see our prohibit posts FAQ) will be deleted and can result in revocation of a member’s account.

Simply click on the question or topic. You will see the question threads underneath. If you click the “reply to post” button, you will create a unique reply to the main post. You may also reply to other replies by clicking on those threads and clicking “reply”.

Adding a topic in a forum is quite simple. Here’s the process:

• First, find the appropriate forum for the topic post or question.
• Second, search for any similar topics or posts addressing the topic. (If a similar topic exists, please post in that topic thread. This can be done by clicking on the posting and clicking the reply button.) Note: Threads that are duplicates of other topic threads will be deleted or closed by an administrator.
• Third, once inside the appropriate forum, click to add a new topic.

That’s it. You will be notified when others answer the post. Further, you can subscribe to posts to be notified when members reply to that post.

Yes. Forum topics and replies must be approved by an administrator before they go live to the community. Approval of topics generally happens within minutes of posting.

Yes. You can delete a forum topic or post that you generated at any time. This can be done by clicking on the post and clicking the “delete post” button.

Posting on the job board is limited to professional-level members.

Professional-level members can list the following on the board:

• • Available jobs
  • Projects for which you need an independent contractor.

As part of your listing, under very limited circumstances, you can include a link to an outside site – such as a company webpage, job description, etc.

Things that you CANNOT list include:

• Any sort of paid posting or affiliate links,
• Solicitations to purchase your products or services,
• Non-job-related advertisements

Note: We review each request for posting separately. We make no promise that your request will be posted.

The information required for a job posting includes:

• Organization:
• Job Title:
• Location/Remote
• Job Type: Full-time, Part-time, Intern, (Temporary) Independent Contractor
• Job Description:
• Scheduled Date (optional)
• Application Email or Website URL for application
• Salary (optional)
• Link to Video about the Job (optional)
• Company Social Media (optional)

Yes. Employers manage their own job postings. As such, once a position is filled, the employer should remove it from the job board. You can do these the from the employer dashboard.

There is no limit to the number of job postings that you can list. However, if any of the jobs are deemed to be advertisements or non-job-special solicitations will be removed. Abuse of these rules can result in suspension of membership.

Generally, we allow postings to remain on the board for 30 days. You can renew the posting for subsequent periods the posting from the employer dashboard. Alternatively, if your needs have been met, you can remove the posting from the employer dashboard.

From the Job Board (Employer) page, click on the Post/Edit a Job tab. This will bring you to the employer’s dashboard. From here, simply click the “Add Job” button. You will be required to fill out the information fields to post the job.

The job submissions are reviewed by administrators for approval. Once approved, the job will be visible to members.

Note: The job board is reserved for Professional-level members of the community.

We do not sponsor an application system. Rather, you list an email address for applicants to submit an application to the posting. If you chose to respond to the applicant, this is done outside of the platform.

Yes. You can edit or revise a job posting from the employer dashboard.

Yes. We post current job listings in our newsletter for a period of 60 days following posting on our website.

Any member can search, view, and apply for job postings.

Our job board is a traditional job board available only to members. All levels of membership have the ability to search and view job posting. Only professional-level members can post job openings or opportunities.

Each employer prescribes its own rules for the job application process. We recommend that you follow these procedures closely when applying for a position.

Applicants and employers are both members of our platform. We do not place rules on the ability of members to contact or communicate with each other with regard to job postings.

We recommend, however, that you demonstrate etiquette when contacting employers. Further, we recommend that you remain patient an allow employers time to review all applications before following up regarding your application.

No. Members can apply to any job posting.

However, members should only apply to a job posting once. Further, members should take care to apply only to job openings for which they are somewhat qualified and have an interest in pursuing.

Any activity deemed annoying or abusive to employers may result in membership suspension.

The job board lists positions posted by professional-level members. Each employer prescribes the requirements for application. This could be submitting material directly to the employer via email or through a website or url provided by the employer.

We connect member employers with member applicants. We do not take part in the transmission of the application or applicant information.

Whether you can track your application depends upon the application process or system implemented by the employer.

Yes. Anyone can search for job postings. Only registered members can view the job description and apply to the job postings.

Yes. We post current job listings in our newsletter for a period of 60 days following posting on our website.

The headlines are summaries of popular articles from well-known news outlets, including:

• Forbes
• Fast Company
• CNN
• Fox News
• Bloomberg
• and various others.

We provide key headlines on major happenings in the business world. The headlines in the newsletter are slightly longer summaries of headlines you’ll find in the “Headlines” tab. These summaries link to a longer-form, third-party article.

We provide a carefully curated list of the latest headlines from current business-related news articles and events from around the globe, offering our members and the public easy access to relevant, timely information. This feature allows users to stay informed on critical business trends, industry shifts, and economic developments.

Each headline links directly to the original article at the source publisher, ensuring that readers can dive deeper into the full story with ease. By offering these curated headlines, we aim to help our community remain up-to-date with the latest happenings in the global business landscape.

The best way to understand business principals is to use it in practice. Our headlines are curated business articles focusing on topics that reinforce the business topics taught or explained on our platform.

Take a few minutes each day to skim the headlines and stay apprised of what is happening in the world. If you find headlines of interest to you, click to read the original article. We cannot stress enough how important this is to reinforcing your business knowledge. It also gives you the ability to converse on important business happenings when networking with professionals.

Yes. Our search bar provides a responsive, suggestion function for searching older headlines.

There is a brief introduction to the article below the headlines. These introductions provide key information from the article. Clicking on the headline takes you to the original news source where you will find the full story.

Yes. You do not have to be a member to access our headlines. But, as a member you receive our newsletter – containing the most important headlines.

All of our media content focuses on business education, career development, and our online community. You can read more about our media content in our “What is the Media Series” – FAQ.

Our Media Series is a dynamic and diverse collection of video content designed to educate, inspire, and engage our business learning community. The series includes:

• “The Business Professor Show”: A flagship video series where our PhD professors break down essential business concepts, strategies, and trends in an accessible, engaging format. Each episode dives into real-world case studies and practical applications to provide a comprehensive understanding of the business world.
• Short-Form Video Book Summaries: For those looking to quickly absorb key insights from top business books, our short-form video summaries offer concise overviews of important texts in leadership, strategy, marketing, and more, making it easy to stay informed without the time commitment of reading the entire book.
• Video Excerpts from “Career TV”: Highlighting the best moments from our “Career TV” series, these video excerpts provide actionable career advice, tips for job seekers, and insights from industry leaders on how to navigate and succeed in today’s competitive job market.
• Video Excerpts from Live “Office Hours” Livestream: Featuring discussions from our live “Office Hours” sessions, these videos showcase experts answering community questions, providing career guidance, business advice, and insights into specific fields of interest.
• Community Resource Explanations: We offer a series of videos dedicated to explaining the valuable resources available within our community, such as networking tools, knowledge-sharing platforms, and how to effectively use these tools to advance both personal learning and professional development.

Our media series serves as a one-stop hub for learners at all stages, combining expert insights with practical tools to help members achieve their business and career goals.

Office Hours is our weekly, live stream hosted by Professor J. Mance Gordon. The livestream is available to both learner-level and professional-level members.

This live stream offers our members direct access to expert guidance on a wide range of business education and practice topics.

This interactive session addresses pre-submitted topics and live questions proposed by members. During the livestream, members can actively participate by posting questions in the chat forum, which we address in real time whenever possible.

For those unable to attend live, each session is recorded and made available for later viewing.

Our book reports are similar to many book summaries – but, with a little extra.

To supplement the formal educational experience offered in the Business Courses, we teach the fundamental learning points offered in many popular business-related books.

We do not simply summarize what the books offer; rather, we offer our insights into the learning points offered therein.

We also provide an outline of the primary learning points discussed in the book report.

Hopefully, our analysis of this content will supplement your knowledge and provide sufficient  information for you to make the decision of whether to purchase and read the respective book.

Yes. Our media content is publicly available. However, the content is best organized for search and viewing on TheBusinessProfessor.com platform.

We welcome guests with unique experience and insights in the fields of business, business education, career development, career advising, curriculum development, higher education, or alternative education methods.

Reach Out to Us

Here’s how the process works:

1. Application Submission:
   Interested guests must submit send us a message entitle “The Business Professor Guest – [Your Name]. In this email provide details on your professional background, areas of expertise, and the unique perspectives or experiences you can share with our audience.
2. Experience Review:
   Once submitted, we will review the message to determine whether the guest aligns with the themes of the show. We are particularly interested in individuals with expertise in business education or innovative approaches to career development and learning.
3. Selection Criteria:
   Guests are selected based on their ability to provide valuable, unique insights into business or education. Preference is given to those with proven accomplishments in business practice, teaching, advising, or thought leadership in their respective fields.
4. Pre-Interview Preparation:
   Selected guests will be contacted to schedule a pre-interview discussion with the host, Professor J. Mance Gordon. During this meeting, the guest’s expertise and topics of discussion will be refined, and key talking points for the episode will be established.
5. Recording the Episode:
   Once the pre-interview is complete, the recording date will be scheduled. The show is flexible in format, allowing guests to either participate remotely or, when possible, in person. Each episode typically runs between 30-90 minutes.
6. Post-Production and Promotion:
   After the episode is recorded, our production team will finalize the content. Guests will receive promotional material to share with their networks, and the episode will be featured on our podcast platforms, with promotion across our channels.

This process ensures that guests on “The Business Professor Show” bring valuable and unique perspectives to our listeners, contributing to meaningful conversations on business and education.

We provide a learning community for our members. Mentorship is a resource that makes up part of comprehensive learning experience. We have worked diligently to find skilled and knowledgeable mentors who are willing to serve our community at reduced hourly rates. The membership fee compensates our mentors for their time and effort. A small percentage of the fee is retained by our platform to continue building out our community benefits.

Our Professors and Mentors are experts in their areas of business practice. They are educators and professional practitioners.

The Learner-level and Professional-level memberships provide access to mentoring sessions with these professionals at affordable, hourly rates.

You can schedule and pay for mentorship meetings and meet via web-conference all within our platform.

When booking time with a mentor, you are making a non-refundable payment to reserve their time. If you are not happy with the mentorship session, you have no obligation to continue with that mentor. However, there is no refund available for a mentorship session once payment is made.

Please note that there is no refund available if a member misses all or part of a mentorship session for any reason. This includes missed meetings due to technical issues or emergency conflicts.

Note: Under the rare circumstance that a mentor misses a scheduled meeting (or is required to change the date and time of a mentoring session, and this rescheduling is not acceptable to the member), we will process a refund. If this scenario arises, please send us an email at admin@thebusinessprofessor.com.

If you miss your mentorship appointment, there is no refund. Also, our platform and the mentors are under no obligation to make any additional services or refunds related to the missed appointment.

If your mentor misses an appointment, you will work out an arrangement directly with the coach to reschedule the mentorship meeting.

Our mentors set their own hourly rates. When booking a time to meet with a mentor, the rate will be displayed along with other information about the coach’s availability.

After selecting a date and time, you can make payment in advance to book the mentor’s time.

Payment is processed through Stripe.com. No financial information is processed or maintained on TheBusinessProfessor.com.

Scheduling a mentorship meeting is easy. Simply click on the mentor’s profile from the “Academy” page. From there, click on the “Schedule a Meeting” button. From here, you will be able to choose an available date and time for the meeting.

You will receive an email containing the meeting link as well as a calendar invitation.

Check out our video on the About Mentorship page. We give you on-screen instructions on the booking, payment, and meeting process.

Our mentors are an integral part of our comprehensive resource offering. Generally, the mentors have agreed to maintain all client relationships on this platform. Also, our mentors have agreed to a reduced hourly rate for coaching on our platform – a principal benefit to members.

As such, we ask that member work through our platform in scheduling and purchasing mentoring sessions.

Yes. You are free to schedule mentorship sessions with any of our mentors. This includes scheduling with multiple mentors. You have no on-going obligation to any individual mentor.

The office hours sessions are recorded at the end of each week. The latest episode publishes on our platform each week on Monday morning. A link to the prior office hours episodes can be found on the About Office Hours page.

Office Hours is our weekly, live stream hosted by Professor J. Mance Gordon. The livestream is available to both learner-level and professional-level members.

This live stream offers our members direct access to expert guidance on a wide range of business education and practice topics.

This interactive session addresses pre-submitted topics and live questions proposed by members. During the livestream, members can actively participate by posting questions in the chat forum, which we address in real time whenever possible.

For those unable to attend live, each session is recorded and made available for later viewing.

Yes and no. Members taking part in the live stream are able to view the screen names of participants.

However, our recording of the live stream does not show the members participating or questions from the chat forum. The host reads submitted questions, phrases them appropriately for the scenario, and proceeds to provide advice or insights into the topic. The host does not identify the member submitting the question.

If you wish to remain anonymous during the live stream, you may use a non-identifiable screen name during the session.

Yes. Prior Office Hours live streams are available by clicking the “Past Recordings” link on the About Office Hours Page.

Yes. During our office hours members have the ability to message our host via the live chat forum. Our host will also address some pressing questions posted in the Community Discussion Forums.

Our open content is free because we believe that certain types of knowledge should be accessible to everyone, regardless of financial means or ability. While we are a business, we are also driven by a mission to make valuable information available to as many people as possible.

While we would love to offer all of our content for free, it simply isn’t feasible. We’ve invested significant time and resources into developing our courses, templates, and other premium offerings, which is why they come at a cost. However, we strive to make them available at a highly affordable price given the value they provide.

The SearchBase AI is our business encyclopedia. Search any business topic and receive a curated explanation within seconds. The answer is derived from our comprehensive database of business articles – including hundreds of thousands of concepts and explanations.

Our open resources (available to non-members) include:

• SearchBase AI
• Media Series
• Headlines

Our Media Series is a dynamic and diverse collection of video content designed to educate, inspire, and engage our business learning community. The series includes:

• “The Business Professor Show”: A flagship video series where our PhD professors break down essential business concepts, strategies, and trends in an accessible, engaging format. Each episode dives into real-world case studies and practical applications to provide a comprehensive understanding of the business world.
• Short-Form Video Book Summaries: For those looking to quickly absorb key insights from top business books, our short-form video summaries offer concise overviews of important texts in leadership, strategy, marketing, and more, making it easy to stay informed without the time commitment of reading the entire book.
• Video Excerpts from “Career TV”: Highlighting the best moments from our “Career TV” series, these video excerpts provide actionable career advice, tips for job seekers, and insights from industry leaders on how to navigate and succeed in today’s competitive job market.
• Video Excerpts from Live “Office Hours” Livestream: Featuring discussions from our live “Office Hours” sessions, these videos showcase experts answering community questions, providing career guidance, business advice, and insights into specific fields of interest.
• Community Resource Explanations: We offer a series of videos dedicated to explaining the valuable resources available within our community, such as networking tools, knowledge-sharing platforms, and how to effectively use these tools to advance both personal learning and professional development.

Our media series serves as a one-stop hub for learners at all stages, combining expert insights with practical tools to help members achieve their business and career goals.

We provide a carefully curated list of the latest headlines from current business-related news articles and events from around the globe, offering our members and the public easy access to relevant, timely information. This feature allows users to stay informed on critical business trends, industry shifts, and economic developments.

Each headline links directly to the original article at the source publisher, ensuring that readers can dive deeper into the full story with ease. By offering these curated headlines, we aim to help our community remain up-to-date with the latest happenings in the global business landscape.

Yes. We serve advertisements on our database pages serving as resources for our SearchBase AI. We do not monetize our headlines or media series.

Our proficiency assessments have value for employees and employers.

Employees

Our proficiency assessment are recorded examinations that are administered by professionals and graded by PhD’s in the area of examination. As such, the assessment can be added to one’s resume or offered as proof of competency when searching for positions.

Employers

Employers have the ability to test the subject-matter knowledge of applicants prior to offering employment and employees prior to offering promotion or advancement.

The assessment will be administered and recorded by a staff member representing our platform.

The recording will then be transcribed and segmented for evaluation.

Depending upon the subject-matter of assessment, an AACSB-accredited, professor with a PhD in the subject matter will undertake the official assessment from the video recording and transcript.

The test taker will receive an email containing the proficiency assessment document, along with a link to download the video recording of the assessment.

If the test taker wishes to designate additional recipients for the proficiency assessment document, they may do so by replying to the email and providing the names and email addresses of the individuals to whom the document should be sent.

Our Proficiency Assessment Program allows employers to pay for an assessment of the subject-matter knowledge of employees.

This unique program allows members to receive personalized, expert-level evaluations from PhD-qualified professors, who assess their proficiency based on the core concepts, theories, and practices taught in our comprehensive, business courses.

Through this program, members can choose to be assessed in a wide range of business disciplines, including finance, marketing, management, entrepreneurship, economics, and more.

Each assessment is carefully crafted by our professors to measure the student’s depth of understanding, analytical abilities, and practical application of the subject matter. The assessment process may include case study analysis, theoretical examinations, and problem-solving exercises tailored to the field of study.

Note: We are introducing assessments for specialty (industry-specific) courses by industry professionals. We work with these professionals on how to conduct throughly assessments that meet with key learning objectives.

Upon completion of the assessment, our staff will outline and transcribe the evaluation. The video recording, along with the outline and transcription, will then be forwarded to a subject-matter expert—a professor holding a PhD in the relevant field.

The professor will evaluate the test taker’s proficiency based on the key learning objectives of the assessed subject matter. They will generate a comprehensive proficiency assessment document, which quantifies the test taker’s level of knowledge and details the methods used during the evaluation.

Typically, the proficiency assessment is completed within 15 days of the examination. The final proficiency report will be sent via email to the test taker, along with any additional recipients designated by the test taker. The email will also include a link to download the video recording of the session for review.

Click on the tab “Schedule an Assessment” on the about proficiency assessment page.

On this page, select “Proficiency Assessment” from the services. Then, schedule an available day and time slot for the assessment.

Make payment for the assessment, and the assessment is scheduled.

You will receive an email containing instructions on the format and requirements for the assessment along with a video-conference link.

Our proficiency assessments cover the subject-matter, material taught in our Business Courses.

• Note: We are introducing industry-specific courses and assessments that cover topics rarely taught in traditional business schools.

Each assessment is subject-matter specific. You can prepare for the assessment by completing and continually reviewing the material in the subject-matter-specific, business courses.

Proficiency assessments are only available to professional-level members. They cost $1,000 USD per assessment.

On the scheduled date and time of your assessment, you will connect via video conference with a staff member from The Business Professor, LLC. The staff member will provide an overview of the oral examination process, which will take place over a 3-hour period. Please note that the session will be recorded for evaluation purposes.

The specific content of the examination is not publicly disclosed. However, the format typically involves scenarios requiring detailed explanations grounded in subject-specific principles. During the examination, you will be asked to provide verbal responses and analyses based on your knowledge of the subject matter.

After the assessment is completed, the recording will be transcribed and organized for evaluation. Depending on the subject area, the official assessment will be conducted by a professor holding a PhD in the relevant field from an AACSB-accredited institution, who will review both the video recording and transcript to provide a comprehensive evaluation.

We utilize a proprietary system for evaluating an individual’s subject-matter knowledge, with the evaluation methods tailored to the specific area being assessed.

During the assessment, the individual is presented with a series of scenarios and tasked with analyzing the relevant issues. The examiner will provide context and establish the scope for each response.

The individual is then given a fixed amount of time to demonstrate their understanding of the scenario, identify the key issues, and articulate how they would address those issues to achieve a desired outcome.

This process is repeated 8 to 12 times throughout the 3-hour assessment period.

Re-assessment is not conducted based on the content of the original assessment, as each assessment is comprised of unique material.

If you wish to be reassessed on the same subject matter, you may schedule a new assessment at any time. The fees for subsequent assessments are the same as those for the initial assessment.

The assessment results are final and may not be challenged. The evaluation is conducted by an impartial expert with extensive experience in assessing the subject matter.

Should you disagree with the outcome, we encourage you to further review the relevant material and schedule a subsequent assessment for re-evaluation.

Yes.

Our proficiency assessments are based on the subject-matter taught in our business courses. This is the same subject matter covered in business courses throughout US business schools.

Note: We are introducing industry-specific courses taught by industry professionals. These courses are often very targeted and are not commonly found in traditional business schools. Likewise, we will offer assessments on these courses as well.

Find out more about our proficiency assessments.